Trabalhos acadêmicos têm procurado explicar o impacto do uso estratégico da tecnologia no desempenho das empresas e identificar as práticas adotadas pelas empresas para o gerenciamento de sua estratégia tecnológica, bem como a relação desta com a sua competitividade. Porém, o entendimento da inter-relação entre os fatores que geram o processo de inovação e seu impacto econômico sobre as empresas ainda é deficiente. Neste sentido, na busca de elementos que possam contribuir para minimizar esta lacuna, este estudo procurou um melhor entendimento sobre a relação entre a capacidade de inovação e a formação de valor, através da identificação dos vetores de valor da capacidade de inovação capazes de gerar fluxos de caixa que contribuam para a formação de valor da empresa. A capacidade de inovação foi definida como o potencial interno para gerar novas idéias, identificar novas oportunidades no mercado e desenvolver uma inovação comercializável através dos recursos e competências existentes na empresa. Operacionalmente, a capacidade de inovação é um construto formado pela inter-relação sinérgica de sua cultura organizacional, de seus processos internos e de suas relações interorganizacionais. Estudos de casos múltiplos foram realizados em cinco empresas que trabalham com produtos e processos biotecnológicos. Foram observados valores e comportamentos peculiares da cultura organizacional, alguns processos internos característicos das empresas inovadoras e as relações interorganizacionais. Dentre os processos internos, foram analisados a gestão da carteira de projetos, a formulação e implementação da estratégia da empresa e a forma de assegurar uma melhor contribuição dos profissionais de P&D para a empresa. Através do uso de Mapas Cognitivos, foram identificados os traços dos vetores de valor da capacidade de inovação e a forma como estes vetores se inter-relacionam. A análise comparativa dos mapas traçados em cada caso estudado revelou serem o fator humano e a gestão participativa potentes vetores de valor, os quais não foram contemplados nas premissas deste estudo e devem ser estudados com maior profundidade em estudos posteriores. / Academic works have tried to explain the strategic use of technology and its impact in the companies’ performance, and to identify practices adopted by companies for the management of their technological strategy, as well as the relation of these with its competitiveness. However, the understanding of the relationship between factors that generate the innovation process and its economic impact on companies is still deficient. In order to minimize this gap, this study searched for a better agreement on the relationship between innovation capacity and the formation of value by identifying the existing value drivers in the innovation capacity capable to generate cash flows that contribute to the company value capture. Innovation capacity was defined as the internal potential to generate new ideas, identify new opportunities in the market and develop a marketable innovation by leveraging existing resources and competences. Operationally, innovation capacity is a construct formed by the synergistic interrelationships of its organizational culture, its internal processes and networking. Five biotechnology companies were analyzed through multiple case studies. In each case, particular attention was given to values and behaviors of the organizational culture, some characteristic internal processes of the innovative companies and their networking. Among internal processes, project portfolio management, strategy formulation and implementation and the way to assure a better contribution of the R&D personnel were analyzed. Using Cognitive Maps, it was possible to identify the innovation capacity value drivers and the way they interact. The comparison of the cases showed that human factors and participative management are powerful value drivers. Since these two factors have not been contemplated in the premises of this study, they need to be extensively analyzed in future studies.

Mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) has gained increasing attention over recent years with much research directed at the nature of persisting symptoms experienced by individuals with MTBI. Owing to the subtle nature of cognitive-communicative difficulties after MTBI, as well as the lack of sensitivity of traditional assessment tools in identifying these difficulties, individuals with MTBI are seldom referred for speech-language therapy services. The need has therefore arisen for the communicative abilities of individuals with MTBI to be assessed in ways other than through the implementation of traditional assessment tools. This preliminary study, for which a qualitative approach with a multiple case study design was adopted, aimed to investigate communication following MTBI from the perspective of a spouse. The spouses of three individuals with MTBI were selected to participate in this study. Semi-structured interviews consisting of two open-ended questions were held with each spouse. The content obtained from the interviews was subjected to a discourse analysis (DA) and the themes that were identified were interpreted within the Model of Social Communication (Hartley, 1995). The results of this study revealed that each of the participants perceived changes in the communication of their spouses since the MTBI. When interpreted within the Model of Social Communication (Hartley, 1995), these communication difficulties were considered to be either the result of impaired internal processes (including impairments in executive control, stored knowledge, subcortical and limbic input or cognition) or the interaction between these impaired internal processes and the environment. The implications of these results regarding the role of the speech-language therapist in MTBI are highlighted. The potential value of the spouse, and the use of DA as both a methodological and clinical tool in the field of speech-language therapy are discussed. Recommendations for future research are made. / Dissertation (M (Communication Pathology))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology / M (Communication Pathology) / unrestricted

Background: Despite the fact that organizations have been working to promote gender equality for several decades, the working environment in Sweden is not yet equal. However, problems often arise during the integration of gender equality in organizations, and too often organizations' gender equality work fails in practice. One way to deal with this is to set goals for gender equality, strategies for achieving these and then convey the strategies through policies. Statistics show that the auditing industry is an industry that is far from being equal, where men dominate at higher levels. At the same time, researchers argue that there are structures and methods in the auditing industry that are not gender neutral. Earlier research also shows that in organizations internal processes it turns out that it surprisingly often occur gender divisions and segregation between the sexes. The authors found a gap in previous research about how the gender equality strategies are reflected in the internal processes of audit firms and how gender equality is perceived by the employees and therefore considered it essential to study this more closely. Purpose: The essay aims to provide an insight into how audit firms work to achieve gender equality, if there are better or worse ways to handle inequality in the auditing industry, and how the perception of gender equality in the companies differs among employees Method: In this multiple-case study, a qualitative research method with a deductive approach is used. The empirical data has been collected through semi-structured interviews and then linked to the theory and analyzed with a comparative approach Conclusion: There are both advantages and disadvantages with the audit firms' gender equality strategies. The audit firm that handles the problem most effectively examines and analyzes the entire organization's structures and processes to find what causes inequality, thus promoting equality in the company. The authors also observe a difference in how the employees perceive the inequality in the workplace, which was that position and length of employment seemed to have an impact on how big a problem they experienced in the inequality at partner level in the auditing industry. Those with a higher position and a longer employment period show greater awareness and insight into the problem of an unequal distribution of gender at the partner level.

Problemformulering: Hur arbetar bankerna med interna processer för attförhålla sig till Finansinspektionens krav kring penningtvätt och samtidigtupprätthålla en god kundrelation? Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att förklara hur bankerna arbetar medinterna processer för att följa Finansinspektionens krav gällande penningtvättoch samtidigt upprätthålla en god kundrelation, att kunderna kännerförtroende och lojalitet till banken. Detta för att skapa en bredare och djupareförståelse för hur bankerna arbetar med interna processer för att behållarelationen till både Finansinspektionen och till bankens kunder. Trotts dethuvudsakliga motsatsförhållandet mellan Finansinspektionens krav ochbankens affärer med kunderna. Metod: Studien har genomförts via en kvalitativ studie på tre olika bankervarav tre respondenter på varje bank. Studien har totalt genomfört niointervjuer. Uppsatsen har genomförts med en abduktiv forskningsansats föratt klargöra resultatet. Slutsats: Författarna till studien har funnit att bankernas interna processerutifrån Finansinspektionens krav och samtidigt upprätthålla en godkundrelation arbetas fram genom att ha en kommunikation mellanavdelningarna och ut mot kund. Studien har även funnit en ny empiriskobservation utifrån agentteorin, att avdelningarna på banken både kan varaprincipal och agent samt att dem ska kommunicera med varandra för attminska det huvudsakliga motsatsförhållandet. Detta bidrar till att bankernaföljer Finansinspektionens krav och samtidigt upprätthåller en godkundrelation. Banken har vissa interna processer som kan påverkas och vissainterna processer som inte kan påverkas. Det orsakar att det är svårt förbanken att sätta exakta interna processer då penningtvättsregelverket ärföränderligt och banken arbetar med människor / Problem formulation: How do banks work with internal processes to complywith the requirements of the Financial Supervisory Authority regardingmoney laundering and at the same time maintain a good customerrelationship? Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explain how banks create internalprocesses to comply with Finansinspektionen's requirements regardingmoney laundering and at the same time maintain a good customerrelationship, so that customers feel trust and loyalty to the bank. This is tocreate a broader and deeper understanding of how banks work with internalprocesses to maintain the relationship with both Finansinspektionen and thebank's customers. Despite the main contradiction between the requirementsof the Finansinspektionen's requirement and the bank's business with theircustomers. Method: The study was conducted via a qualitative study at three differentbanks with three respondents at each bank. The study has conducted a totalof nine interviews. The paper has been conducted using an abductive researchapproach to clarify the findings. Conclusion: The authors of the study have found that banks' internalprocesses based on the requirements of the Financial Supervisory Authorityand at the same time maintaining a good customer relationship are workedout by having a communication between the departments and out towards the customer. The study has also found a new empirical observation based on theagent theory, that the departments of the bank can be both principal and agentand they should communicate with each other to reduce the principal-agentrelationship. This helps banks to comply with the requirements of theFinancial Supervisory Authority while maintaining a good customerrelationship. The bank has some internal processes that can be influenced andsome internal processes that cannot be influenced. This causes it to bedifficult for the bank to set precise internal processes as the anti-moneylaundering regulatory framework is changing and the bank works withpeople.

Bakgrund: I och med den ständiga utvecklingen beträffande hanteringen av internaprocesser har automatisering av aktiviteter för lager- och materialhantering ökat. Maskiner som verkar automatiskt benämns som Automated Guided Vehicles, vilket förkortas AGV, därdess utökade användningsområde inom interna processer har ökat avsevärt. Innebörden av AGV-system har genererat omfattande förbättringar av prestanda, däribland produktivitetsförbättringar. Grunden till produktivitetsförbättringarna innefattas av aspektersom att reducering av flaskhalsar samt att nedskärning vid beroende av mänsklig hantering. Syfte: Uppsatsens syfte är att studera möjligheter och utmaningar avseende om det är aktuellt för Atea Logistics AB med en implementering av ett AGV-system för interna processer ideras internlogistikområde. Därutöver är syftet att analysera och presentera vilka förutsättningar som kan påverka lönsamheten för en distributör vid en implementering av ett AGV-system för interna processer i verksamhetens interna logistikområde. Metod: Metodvalen i studien grundar sig i ett kvalitativt tillvägagångssätt till studiensinledande forskningsfråga. Därefter har en kvantitativ forskningsmetod applicerats för att tillämpa uppsatsens andra forskningsfråga. Med avsikt att erhålla en bred omfattning beträffande datainsamlingen har både primär- respektive sekundärdata inhämtats. För att skapa ett välgrundat resultat har det teoretiska materialet studerats i förhållande till det empiriska underlaget. Resultat: Baserat på ett flertal variabler för prestanda diskuteras implementeringen av ett AGV-system hos Atea utifrån lönsamhet. Resultatet visade att det finns flera utmaningar samt möjligheter vid genomförandet av implementeringen, dock visar slutsatsen att det inte är genomförbart för Atea att implementera ett AGV-system med de resurser de har i nuläget. Med utgångspunkt i att studera lönsamheten för liknande distributionsföretag beträffande implementering av ett AGV-system visade det att variabler i form av lönekostnader,investeringskostnaden, transporttid för bingar och väntetid är aspekter som är nödvändigt att ta i beaktning vid investeringen. / Background: With the constant evolution of the management of internal processes, the automation of warehouse and material handling activities has increased. Machines that operate automatically are referred to as Automated Guided Vehicles, abbreviated as AGVs, where their extended use in internal processes has increased significantly. The adoption of AGV systems has generated widespread improvements in performance, including productivity improvements. The basis for productivity improvements includes aspects such as reducing bottlenecks and cutting dependence on human handling.  Purpose: The purpose of the thesis is to study opportunities and challenges regarding whether it is relevant for Atea Logistics AB to implement an AGV system for internal processes in their internal logistics area. In addition, the purpose is to analyze and present the conditions that can affect the profitability of a distributor when implementing an AGV system for internal processes in the company's internal logistics area.  Method: The basis for the methodological choices of the study relates to a qualitative approach to the initial research question of the study. Subsequently, a quantitative research method has been applied to address the second research question of the paper. In order to obtain a broad scope of data collection, both primary and secondary data have been collected. In order to create a well-founded result, the theoretical material has been studied in relation to the empirical data.  Results: Based on several performance variables, the implementation of an AGV-system at Atea is discussed in terms of profitability. The results revealed several challenges and opportunities associated with the implementation. However, the conclusion is that it is not profitable for Atea to implement an AGV-system with the resources they have today.  Based on studying the profitability of similar distribution companies regarding the implementation of an AGV-system, it was found that variables such as labor costs, investment costs, bin transport time and waiting time are aspects that are crucial to consider regarding the investment.

La présente thèse de doctorat porte sur les processus internes au sein des équipes de travail pluriculturelles. Cette thèse se compose de trois articles et propose, d’une part, une mesure validée des valeurs culturelles au niveau individuel en langue française et, d’autre part, une mesure du degré d’homogénéité culturelle au sein des équipes de travail (ci-après ÉT). En outre, elle se penche sur la vérification empirique des nombreux liens entre l’homogénéité culturelle et les processus internes au sein des ÉT postulés par les auteurs mais jamais vérifiés empiriquement. Le premier article a pour but de faire le point sur la documentation scientifique concernant les équipes de travail pluriculturelles. Il présente une recension de la documentation portant sur ce type d’équipe, notamment l’impact présumé de la culture sur les comportements d’équipier, et les effets de la diversité culturelle sur la performance de l’équipe et sur ses processus internes. Le deuxième article, quant à lui, a pour objectif de valider la mesure des dimensions culturelles de Hofstede (1980, 1991, 1994) sur une base individuelle et en langue française. Cette étude a été réalisée en adaptant deux questionnaires, l’un développé par Hellmann (2000) et mesurant les dimensions culturelles de distance hiérarchique, de masculinité, de contrôle de l’incertitude et de collectivisme, et le second développé par Bearden, Money et Nevins (2006) et mesurant la dimension d’orientation à long terme. L’échantillon se compose de 453 répondants tous étudiants dans des programmes de baccalauréat à l’Université de Montréal et à l’Université du Québec à Montréal. Les résultats des deux analyses factorielles exploratoires effectuées ont fait ressortir sept facteurs distincts expliquant 41.6% de la variance pour le premier questionnaire et 61.6% de la variance pour le second. La composition de l’échantillon n’a pas permis de conduire d’analyse de variance afin de vérifier s’il se trouvait des différences significatives entre les différents groupes culturels de l’échantillon à l’étude, et ce, pour chacune des dimensions culturelles. Les limites de la recherche ainsi que des suggestions de recherches futures sont proposées. Enfin, le troisième article se penche sur les liens, postulés par de nombreux auteurs mais jamais confirmés empiriquement, entre l’homogénéité culturelle dans les équipes et les processus internes de l’équipe en termes de comportements productifs et de comportements contre-productifs. Afin d’étudier cette réalité, l’instrumentation de Hofstede (1980, 1991), conçue pour capter des différences au niveau des nations, a été opérationnalisée au niveau des individus (Temimi, Savoie et Duguay, 2008) et mis en relation avec les processus internes se déroulant au sein de l’équipe (Duguay, Temimi et Savoie, 2008; Rousseau, 2003; Temimi et Savoie, 2007). Cette étude a été réalisée auprès de 67 équipes variant en termes d’homogénéité culturelle. Les résultats indiquent que le degré d’homogénéité culturelle global s’avère positivement relié aux comportements productifs de l’équipe et négativement relié aux comportements contre-productifs. De plus, le degré d’homogénéité de la dimension culturelle de féminité ressort négativement relié aux comportements contre-productifs de flânerie sociale et de domination. / This doctoral thesis focuses on internal processes within multicultural teams. It consists of three articles and proposes a validated measure of cultural values at the individual level in French but also a measure of the degree of cultural homogeneity within teams. In addition, it analyzes the empirical examination of the many links between cultural homogeneity and internal processes within teams that several authors postulated but never empirically verified. The objective of the first article is to present a review of the documentation concerning multicultural teams including the alleged impact of culture on team members’ behaviours and effects of cultural diversity on team performance and internal processes. The second article, aims at validating the measurement of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions (1980, 1991, 1994) at the individual level and in French. This study was achieved by adapting two questionnaires, one developed by Hellmann (2000) and measuring the cultural dimensions of power distance, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance and collectivism, and the second developed by Bearden, Money and Nevins (2006) and measuring the dimension of long-term orientation. The sample consists of 453 students in degree programs at l’Université de Montréal and l’Université du Québec à Montreal. Results of both exploratory factor analyses conducted have revealed seven distinct factors explaining 41.6% of variance in the first questionnaire and 61.6% of variance in the second. The composition of the sample failed to conduct analysis of variance to see if there were significant differences between different cultural groups in the sample under study and for each of the cultural dimensions. Research limitations and suggestions for future research are also presented. The third article examines the links, postulated by many authors but never confirmed empirically, between cultural homogeneity in teams and internal processes of the team in terms of productive behaviours and counterproductive behaviours. To investigate these links, the questionnaire of Hofstede (1980, 1991) designed to capture differences at a national level has been adapted to the individual level (Temimi, Savoie et Duguay, 2008) and linked with internal processes taking place within teams (Duguay, Temimi et Savoie, 2008; Rousseau, 2003; Temimi et Savoie, 2007). This study was conducted among 67 teams. Results indicate that the overall degree of cultural homogeneity is positively related to productive team behaviours and negatively related to counterproductive behaviours. Moreover, the degree of homogeneity of the cultural dimension of femininity appears negatively related to counterproductive behaviours of social loafing and domination.

The diploma thesis deals with the analysis of crisis management and internal processes in relation to health and safety at work.

No description available.

The thesis is focused on the evaluation of business performance using the Balanced Scorecard concept. The theoretical part defines the concept of business performance and describes the method of Balanced Scorecard. In the analytical part is being assessed the current state of the company DINA-HITEX, spol. s.r.o. through selected analytical methods. Subsequently, as a conclusion of the thesis, is drafted implementation of the Balanced Scorecard concept to this company. In this section are draw up strategic goals of selected perspectives, strategic map, budget, time schedule of the project implemen-tation and evaluation of the benefits of adopting this method to the enterprise.

This dissertation explores governance of national sports organizations (NSOs) in the Czech Republic and thus reflects contemporary course of events in the Czech sport. The aim of the dissertation is to explore governance of Czech NSOs with special focus on governance structure and transparency. Particularly, the dissertation examines compliance of Czech NSOs with codes of good governance and determines relations between governance structure, transparency and effectiveness of Czech NSOs. Mixed method approach was used in equal status sequential design (QUANT -> QUAL) Firstly, content analysis of websites of 67 Czech NSOs was conducted. The analysis allowed to determine the level of transparency and also provided variables for quantitative part of the study. Purposive sampling was used to choose nine NSOs where subsequent interviews with a CEO or a head of the board were done. And finally, quantitative data survey was conducted in 67 NSOs using phone interviews and e-mail survey. The quantitative data were processed using MS Excel and SPSS and, hypotheses were tested using standard statistical tests. The results are presented in three chapters. First, applicability of five elementary approaches to effectiveness is presented and combination of goal attainment and system resource approach is implemented. Second, governance structure of NSOs is analysed revealing substantially higher variability of governance models in comparison with theoretical presumptions. Moreover, a new framework of governance structure classification was developed. Third, transparency was identified as the most notable principal. Results reveal very low level of the transparency within Czech NSOs and explore the sources and impact of low transparency. For instance, more transparent NSOs are more effective using system resource approach. Overall, the dissertation provides a new deep insight into Czech NSOs governance and brings numerous recommendations for Czech NSOs.